Focusing hand lamp



Sept. 29, 1931. H. w. JONES 1,825,354

FOCUSING HAND LAMP Filed March 31, 1926 IN V EN TOR:

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED TQATE'S PATENT oFFicE HOMER WALTER. Jonas; or JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, .nssrenon 5T0 nnrronan cannon coMPANa', INC., A conPoRaTmn-or' new YORK .LEOCUSING HAND LAMP Application filed March 31, 192a seria1no. eases.

' This invention relates to battery hand lamps, flashlights and similar-electriclight- 1 .ing devices, and particularly to improved means formore accurately locating'the cen- 5 tral part of the lamp filamentin the focal axis ofthe reflector. e

"The fila-mentsof-small incandescent bulbs usedinihand lamps and flashlights are'often located eccentricallyfto the longitudinal axis of the bulb, and there are sometimes slight in accuraciesin-the parts which carry the lamp 'and reflector. As aresult, it isoften a practicalimposs'ibility to locatethe filament concentrically with respect to-the focal axis of the reflector, to be able to obtainca uniform concentrated light beam. y

'One object o'fthis invention is to provide flmeans for compensatingfor such non-uni- "formityin the parts of a battery'hand lamp, so that, the lamp filament may be positioned symmetricallyvwith respect to the focal axis of the reflector." This is accomplished by 1 mounting the reflector or the lamp so thateither one may be adjus'tedlaterally to positionthe'reflector a-Xis so that it passes through the center ofthe filament.

A further object of this invention istoflprovide ameans for alining the reflector axis and filament, in combination \Vltll means Wherebythe lamp filamentmayalsofbe adjusted in opposite directions 'along .the reflecto'r axis, {to project a uniformly diffused .or concen- ,.trated light beam, as desired.

'Theabove and other objects andthe novel I features ofthis invention Willbe apparent from-the following {description taken With the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is alongitudinal sectionalview of a 'battery handlamp embodying'this invention and l r Fig. 2 is ahofizontal sectional viewtaken on the line 2+2 of Fig. 1;

Referringto the'dra ingaC designates a tubular casing'of metal or fibe r 'adapted to E] 1545, contain-the battery Bof dryc ells which furnishes current to light the incandescent lamp IL havinga filament-L, Which-in many'lamps is :not disposed concentric with the longitu- A dinal'aXis ofthe lamp. A-threaded=metal 1 cap .K is adjustably coupled' to and closes the rearend of the casing C'and carries a conductive shell '10 thereinwhich engages the zinc bottom of the lowermost cell in the battery B and serves as a supporting abut ment for the latter to'hold the center electrode 555 B againstthe contact 1 1 carried by the lamp holder H. The front end of the casing iseX- panded and threaded, as at 12, to receive a similarly threaded removable sleeve F which 'is also threaded at '14 to take the threadedific threaded base that is screwedinto the metal lamp holder HWlllll is adjustable in opposite directions along the axis of atubular-RZ metal support and g uide G. The holderhas collars19,- 20;at its opposite ends forming a long'bearingtherefor, the collar 19 engaging an interior bead 0r-sho1ilder 21 in the guide G to limit the inward movement ofthel holder and lamp. A helical spring S-is disposed :betWeen the holder and guide and has :oneend seated against a bearing 22 that engages the bead '21 and its opposite end"bears againstthe collar '20. hen the cap K'is ro- 8O tated to adjust the-holder H and lamp 'L forwardly, I the spring S 'is compressed, the battery Bbeing guided along Withthe holder-as it-is clamped between the cap and the holder. Rotation of the cap inthe reverse directiong releases the pressure on thespring and permits itto expandand move thecholder Hrear- Wardly, therearward movement being limited by the rib 21 Which-'alsoprevents the accidental removal of the parts from the guide Whenthebattery is removed from the casing.

The currentfrom the electrode Bmaybe conducted to the center damp contact through :the contact '11, ap'late 22 and a spring contact 23, all'secured to the holder Handinsulated tlierefrom by:insulating'discs24.

The reflector and lamp iholder are supported independently of one another, so that the reflector and coverglass may *beremoved'as a umt fon repalrs-orcleanmgWithout disturbm ing the lamp and lamp holder; and so that a new lamp may be inserted without touching the reflecting surface of the reflector. The guide which carries the lamp holder is accordingly mounted in the casing independently of the sleeve F which carries the reflector and lens. Moreover, the guide is mounted so that it may be adjusted laterally in any direction to place the filament of the lamp symmetrical with the focal axis of the reflector. During this lateral movement, the lamp holder axis is at all times substantially parallel to the focal axis of the reflector. As shown, the guide is carried by an insulating tube T fitting in and projecting beyond the enlarged part 12 of the casing, the inner end of the tube being seated on a shoulder 25 and secured to the casing by an inward projection 26 of the latter.

The skirt 27 of a retaining ring D is secured to outside of the tube T near its outer end, the

. outer end of the ring being provided with an inwardly facing groove 28 formed in part by an inwardly projecting abutment or flange 29 that overhangs and is spaced from the end of the tube T. The guide G has an outward flaring part 30 that merges into a cylindrical part 31 formed with an out-turned flange 32 which projects into the groove 28 and abuts against the flange 29. The size of the reflector aperture 18, the width of the flange 32 and the depth of the groove 28 are such that the guide is laterally adjustable a sufficient amount in any direction to position the lamp filament in the focal axis of the reflector.

Suitable means may be provided to effect the desired lateral adjustment of the guide and the lamp holder carried thereby. As shown, screws 33 are threaded into holes 90 degrees apart in the skirt 27of the retaining ring' D and have their inner ends seated in recesses 3 x in the wall 31 of the guide G. Holes 35 may be formed in the sleeve F so that a screwdriver may be inserted to turn the screws. Two springs 36, 36 diametrically opposite the screws 33, 33 keep the guide G in contact with the screws in any adjusted position. The screws and springs exert pressure radially or perpendicularly to the focal axis of the reflector. These springs may be set in depressions 38 in the wall 31 and in holes 39 in the tube T. A suitable switch W connected to the guide G by a conductor 40 is operable to control the flow of current through the lamp. From the foregoing, it will be apparent I that the lamp L may be laterally adjusted in any direction by adjusting one or both screws as required, so that the lamp filament will lie in the focal axis of the reflector, permitting the narrowest possible reflected light beam to be obtained from a given lamp. In any of its adjusted positions, the lamp may also be adjusted longitudinally of the reflector axis to position the filament at the reflector focus or in front or back of the same. lVhen a new lamp is inserted in the holder H to replace a damaged one, the reflector and lens assembly may be removed as a unit by unscrewing the sleeve F, thus avoiding touching the reflective surface. The latter may be cleaned without disturbing the lamp holder assembly.

It will be understood that the details of construction herein disclosed may be altered in various particulars without departing from the principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector having an aperture; an incandescent lamp projecting through said aperture; a support for said lamp mounted in said casing independently of said reflector; a contact on said support in circuit with said lamp; a battery having a center contact engaging the contact on said support; means for adjusting said support in any direction transversely of the focal axis of said reflector, said contacts being maintained in engagement during such adjustment; said means for adjusting said support comprising screws within said casing spaced 90 degrees apart about said reflector axis, and said casing comprising a sleeve carrying said reflector and having holes through which said screws are exposed.

2. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a sleeve mounted on said casing; a reflector carried by said sleeve and having an aperture; a tube carried by said casing inside said sleeve; an incandescent lamp projecting through said reflector aperture; a support for said lamp adjustably mounted on said tube; a battery bearing against said support and in circuit with said lamp; and means carried by said tube whereby said support is adjustable in any direction transversely of the focal axis of said rcfleetor.

3. A battery hand lamp according to claim 2, wherein said tube carries a grooved part, and said lamp support has a flanged part fitting said grooved part.

4. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a sleeve removably mounted thereon; a reflector carried by said sleeve; an annular insulating member carried by said casing inside said sleeve; a guide mounted on said insulating member; a lamp holder adjustable along said. guide; an incandescent lamp carried by said holder; and

means whereby said guide and reflector are relatively adjustable transversely of the focal axis of said reflector.

5. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a tubular casing; a battery therein; a sleeve removably mounted on said casing; a reflector carried by said sleeve and having an aperture; an insulating tube secured to said casing inside said sleeve; a guide adjustably mounted within said tube; a lamp holder axially slidable in said guide;

an incandescent lamp carried by said holder and projecting through said aperture; means whereby said lamp holder and lamp are adjustable longitudinally of the focal axis of said reflector; and means whereby said guide with said holder and lamp are adjustable transversely of the focal axis of said reflector. 6. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a battery therein; a reflector having an aperture; an adjustable incandescent lamp mounted in said casing and projecting through said aperture; means whereby said lamp is adjustable longitudinally of the focal axis of said reflector; and means Within said casing whereby said lamp is adjustable transversely of said focal axis, said casing having an aperture, and such transverse adjusting means being accessible from the outside of said casing through said aperture. 7

7. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a battery therein; a reflector having an aperture; an adjustable incandescent lamp mounted in said casing and projecting through said aperture; means whereby said lamp is adjustable longitudinally of the focal axis of said reflector; and means within said casing whereby said lamp is adjustable transversely of said focal axis, said casing being tubular and containing a cylindrical battery in circuit with said lamp, the circuit connection between one pole of said battery and one terminal of said lamp being maintained intact during all adjustments of said lamp relatively to said reflector.

8. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector having an aperture; an incandescent lamp projecting through said aperture; a support for said lamp adjustably mounted in said casing independently of said reflector; a contact on said support in circuit with said lamp; a bat tery in said casing having a center contact engaging the contact on said support; means for adjusting said support in any direction transversely of the focal axis of said reflector; and means for adjusting said support longitudinally of said focal axis, said contacts being maintained in engagement during such transverse and longitudinal adjustments. 7

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature.

HOMER WALTER JONES. 

